Pinhoti Trail Backcountry Campground — Cheaha State Park

Updated review with additional pictures after a recent visit. Still an amazing place to camp.

Pinhoti trail is breath taking! The trail has numerous look out points. Every view is breathtaking. We camped out here and the lands are very well maintained! We camped along the trail so it was very secluded. I think up another half mile was a camp site but we didn’t venture there. Only down fall is there is a bar/restaurant a few miles away and the music was pretty loud all night so it echoed in the mountains. But I would certainly come back again!

I love it here it's so beautiful ❤️

Like many sites along this section of the Pinhoti it is right off the patch and provides a large space to set up your tent with a nice campfire ring in the center. Although my favorite site in this area is definitely McDill Point this is not a bad option if you cant make the trek all the way there or if that site is already full. One of the major things to be aware of though is that this site has no water access any time of year (unless it is actively raining) so make sure to carry in any water you will need. If you are doing the full cave creek loop there is plenty of spots to pump fresh water on the second half of the loop but you will need to make it there with what you hike in with. If this site is taken you can always head a little further along and find other sites since there are many options in the area. Also, you will definitely need to check out the views as you get closer to McDill point since it opens up and is spectacular.

Great trail, well kept up. Not very rocky or mountainous. Parking available near the railroad tracks. Backcountry camping sites and fire pits available along the trail and not comonly traversed.

Besides the campsite right at McDill lookout, this area was my favorite. To me, it felt the most spacious and it definitely had enough room for a couple of tents and some hammocks. The spot is located about 20-30 min away from the trail head/parking lot. It has a very well built rock fire pit which would work great for large groups that wanted to cook or just sit around a fire. The site is located right off the path and is about a halfway point between the parking lot and McDill’s lookout. If you stay here, you should definitely make the hike out to McDill’s lookout as it is quite beautiful and truly a site to see!

This is one of my favorite trails to camp on in Alabama and living in Birmingham it is not too far of a trek to get here. We often take people on this hike if it is their first backpacking trip. This campground is definitely one of the nicer options if you aren't staying up at the peak or if the peak campgrounds are full. The fire pit here is really nice for a big fire on a winter night and there are several overlooks if you go down the trail a little ways. The hike in is about a mile and mostly uphill. The other thing to be aware of is that most of the year there is no place to get water from so be prepared to carry in what you will need. Overall, there are better camping options but if you are looking for a site on an amazing hike this isn't a bad choice.